Method of and apparatus for treating tubes



(No Model.)

E. PEGQKHAM. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS POR TRBATING TUBES.

Patented May UNITED dramas Parenti Brien.

EDGAR FECKHAM, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 342,130, dated lVIay 18, 1886. Application filed March 14, ISS-l. Renewed A pril 1T, 1836. Serial No. 199,9l0. (No model.)

To all whom it may concer/1,:

Be it known that I, EDGAR Panni-IAM, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, inthe State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Means for Treating Iipcs and lubes lrcparatory to Velding the Same, of which the following. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists,irst.,in a novel treatment of metal pipes or tubes preparatory to welding the same, which treatment protects the pipe or tube from any injurious effects from the intense heat it is subjected to, and serves to assist the welding process, and furthermore produces abettcr finish of the internal as well as external surfaces ofthe pipe or tube.

The invention also consists in a novel construction of a furnace specially adapted for the aforesaid treatment, all as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a vcrtical longitudinal section of apipe-welding furnace embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line ma', Fig. 1; and Fig. Sis a horizontal transversesection on line g/ y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. v

A represents a furnace employed ,for heating the rolled-up blanks of metal pipes or tubes preparatory to welding the longitudinal seams of said blanks. The requisite heat is derived from coal burned either on the grate F, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, or on a suitable grate placed in the combustion-chamber F, the combustion being aided by a hotai r blast introduced over the combustion -ch aniber F by a port, p, which extends through the wall of the'furnace and communicates with the main blast-pipe?) by a branch pipe, d, both of which pipes are arranged in the wall so as to be isolated from the interior of the furnace, and thus protected from the intense heatthercof, and also prevent external radiation of heat from the pipes. The branch pipe l is provided with a damper or valve, c, by which to control the air-blast. rlheport p islined witl fire-brick or other refractorymaterial, and th( outer end is provided with a stopper or plug, j', which is removable to afford access to th( interior of the portfor cleaning it. rlhe hot blast l obtain by means ofa hot-blast oven, l), arranged in arcrtical position between tw( vertical tire-fines, B B, which are connecte(` with eachother underneath thehot-blast oven, as shown atl. The ripper end of olie of the fines B communicates with thc furnace A, as shown at G, Figs. l and 3 of .thedrawings, and the upper end of the other flue B terminates with an enlargement, B2, in which a boiler, E, is set to be heated bythe products of combustion escaping from the flue 1:3. A damper, n, is arranged in the lat-ter itue, so as to enablle the operator to control the escape of the products of combustion.

The hot-blast oven D consists of a hollow partition placed in an upright position between the lines B B, as aforesaid, so as to be effcetuallyimpinged bytheheatpassingthrongh said tlucs. rlhrough the aforesaid hollow partition l extend in a tortuous or sinuous course an air-blast duct, c, which is tapped or connectcd with the main blast-pipe b, as indicated by dotted lincsin Fig. l ofthe drawings. The duct c may be either formed by subdividing partitions built of brick and extended alternately from the top and bottom ot' the oven D, the latter partitions part way the height thereof, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, those partitions which extend from t-he top downward being supported by arches sprung across the oven D, or the aforesaid duct may consist oli' a metal pipe extended in a tortuous course through the interior of the oven. The cold air ent-ers the oven at c, and the heated air escapes from it at ci, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. rlhe hearth ofthe furnace Ais formed with the usual groove, b', for the reception of the skelps to be heated preparatory to welding the same, an opening being provided in the wall of the furnace at the end of the groove b', to admit ot' transferring the skelps cndwise 'from the furnace to the welding apparatus, which latter is deemed unnecessary to be here illustrated.

l'ly the side of the groove lf", and preferably parallel therewith, I provide the hearth of the furnace with a depression, a, of sufficientlength and width to contain a number of skelps, which are introduced through an opening in the rear wall of the furnace at the end of the depression. In the depression a, I introduce cinders or suitable iiuxing material, such as fluor-spar, sand, or other material which will readily flux. lThe amount of said material used Varies, to produce, when melted, from one-half inch to two inches or more in depth, according to the size of the pipe or tube t-o be treated.

The process of treatment of the pipes or tubes preparatory to welding the same and the effect of said treatment are as follows: 'Ihe furnace A being brought to an ordinary red heat, the fluxing material, which is co1nminuted or pulverized, is introduced and properly distributed in thc depression a of the hearth through the usual opening at the rear or charging end of the furnace. Then the temperature of the furnace is to be raised to a welding heat, which melts the fiux in the depression a. Then the skel ps are introduced endwise through the aforesaid opening in the wall of the furnaceinto the depression a, and in the process of heating the skelps they are rolled over in the bath of flux and toward the groove b', into which they are finally rolled. The rolling of the skelps is accomplished by means cf along-handled fork or erotched bar, introduced through the openingiu the rear end wall ofthe furnace at the end ofthe depression a, the fork grasping the end of the skelp, and by turning the fork the skelp is rolled. In the groove b the skelps are subjected to a more intense heat, and from thence they are guided lirectly to the welding apparatus, which usutlly consists of rolls arranged diametrically apposite each other, and having a peripheral groove corresponding to the size of the pipe or tube when welded. A so-called ball of the size of the interior ofthe aforesaid pipe or tube is arranged between the rolls, and enters the lnterior of the pipe or tube to resist the press- .ire exerted by the rolls in the welding process.

In rolling or transferring the pipes or tubes from the depression a to the groove b', the melted flux becomes thoroughly spread over both tleinternal and external surfaces of the pipes or tubes, and thereby forms thereon a coat which protects the same from the destructive influences of the intense heat they are subjected to. the aforesaid welding apparatus the .flux is pressed into and smoothed on the surfaces of the pipes or tubes, and also promotes or aids the welding of the joint thereof.

lIavin g described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secu re by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The method of treatment of metal pipes and tubes preparatory to welding the same, consisting, essentially, in subjecting said pipes or tubes to a heated bath of fluxing material, and subsequently transferring them to the usual guide-groove in the welding-furnace, substantially as set forth.

2. In a pipe-welding furnace,a pipe-heating hearth having at or near the side of the usual pi pe-guiding groove alongitudinal depression for the reception ofthe ske] ps and holding the iiux preparatory to transferring the skelps to the aforesaid groove, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with the furnace A, the iiues B I5, connected with each other at one end and connected at the opposite end of one of said fines with the furnace,a hollow partition between the fines B B, tortuous air-blast ducts through said partitions, and the blast-pipe b, extended from the aforesaid duets to the combustion-chamber of the furnace, substantially as set forth and shown.

. In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my naine and affixed my seal, in the presence of two attestiug witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga,in the State of New York, this 11th day of March, 1884.

EDGAR rEcKHAM. [1.. s]

'W i tu esses:

C BENDIXON, WM. C. RAYMOND.

In passing the same through y 

